A Perspective Study of Asthma and its Control in Assam (India)

The main objective of our study is to collect data about the profile of the asthmatic patients in Assam and thereby have a comprehensive knowledge of the factors influencing the asthmatic patients of the state and their medication pattern. We developed a search strategy to find any publication about the community based survey asthma related and used. These to search the MEDLINE (1996 to current literature) CINAHL DOAJ pubmed databases using the key phrases, Asthma, Respiratory disorders, Drug therapy of Asthma, database decision support system and asthma. The appropriate literature was printed out from the online source and library (Journal) source. The study was conducted through a set of structured and non-structured questionnaires targeted on the asthmatic patients belonging to the rural and urban areas of Assam, during the month of Dec 2006 to July 2007, 138 cases were studied in Gauwathi Medical College & Hospital located in Bhangagarh, Assam in India. The demographic characteristics a factor in 138 patients with asthma with allergic rhinitis (cases) gives the detail profile of asthmatic patient-s distribution of Assam as classified on the basis of age and sex. It is evident from the study that male populations (66%) are more prone to asthma as compared to the females (34%).Another striking features that emerged from this survey is the maximum prevalence of asthma in the age group of 20- 30 years followed by infants belonging to the age group of 7 (0.05%) 0-10years among both male and female populations of Assam. The high incidence of asthma in the age group of 20-30 years may probably be due to the allergy arising out of sudden exposure to dust and pollen which the children face while playing and going to the school. The rural females in the age group of 30-40 years are more prone to asthma than urban females in the same age group may be due to sex differentiation among the tribal population of the state. Pharmacists should educate the asthmatics how to use inhalers considering growing menace of asthma in the state. Safer drugs should be produced in the form of aerosol so that easy administration by the asthmatic patients and physicians of the state is possible for curing asthma. The health centers should be more equipped with the medicines to cure asthma in the state like Assam.




References:
[1] R.K. Shabaraya, A.Vishnusharma, S.D. Rajendran and B. Suresh,
"Impact of patient education on pulmonary function outcomes in
Asthmatic patients" IJHP, 2008: 45: 16-19.
[2] J. Shaji, and S. Lodha, "Management of Asthma - A Review" IJHP,
2008: 45: 88-100
[3] C.A Dyer, S.I.Hill, R.A Stockley and H.J.Sinclair, "Quality of life in
elderly subjects with a diagnostic label of asthma from general practice
registers" Eur Respir J 1999: 14: 39-45.
[4] G.C Lyketsos, A.Karabetsos, J. Jordanoglou , T. Liokis,
A,.Armagianidis and C.G Lyketsos "Personality characteristics and
dysthymic states in bronchial asthma".Psychother Psychosom 1984: 41:
177-85.
[5] M.Bonsignore, K,.Barkow ,F,Jessan and R.. Heun "Validity of the five
item WHO Well being index questionnaire (WHO-5) in an elderly
population".EurArch Psychiatryclin Neurosci 2001:251:1127-31.
[6] R.J, Adams, D.H Wilson, A.W Taylor, A . Daly, d .Tursan E. Espiagnet
Dal and E Grande, "Psychological factors and asthma quality of life. A
population based study" Thorax 2004:59:30-5.
[7] A.N.Ortega, S.E Huertas, G.Canino, R.Ramirez andS. M " Rubio-
.Childhood asthma, Chronic illness and psychiatric disorders" J Nerv
Ment Dis 2002:190:275-81.
[8] G.Vila, C.Nollet-clemencon, J.de Blic , M.C Mourensimeoni and P
Scheinmann ".Asthma severity and psychopathology in a tertiary care
department for children and adolescent."Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry
1998:7:137-44.
[9] C.Janson ,E. Bjornsson, J.Hetta and G.Boman "Anxiety and depression
in relation to respiratory symptoms and asthma"Am J Respir Crit Care
Med 1994:149:930-4.
[10] N.R,Panicker, N.P. Sharma A.L-Duwaisan "Psychological distress and
associated risk factors in bronchial asthma patients in Kuwait "Indian J
Med sciences online 2008:62:No.1.